General Interest
http://newtactics.hutman.net/main.php
As this website explains in its Common Questions area, "Tactics consist of how to make a change", and given this statement, the site will be of great interest to those with a concern for international human rights. The New Tactics in Human Rights organization is primarily concerned with providing practitioners in the field with a package of practical tools, a worldwide symposium, and a number of other strategic planning resources. The project itself is coordinated by the Center for Victims of Torture and is overseen by a board of advisors that includes novelist Mario Vargas Llosa and the Right Honorable Kim Campbell, who is the former Prime Minister of Canada. The "Tools for Action" section is a real find as it contains a number of tactical notebooks taken from various case studies around the world, including work from Turkey, Hungary, Romania, and Albania. It is worth noting that many of the materials on the site are also available in Spanish and French. [KMG]
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/exhibit/interactives/buddhism/enter.asp
Even if you can't get to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) to see Discovering Buddhist Art, you can learn a lot about it from this Web interactive site prepared to accompany the show. And the Web site features a number of pieces from SAM's collections that are not on display at the museum. Examine dozens of Buddhas--busts, heads, carved into architectural fragments, and standing figures, including Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, depicted with long earlobes, hair in a topknot, and a bump on the forehead, denoting wisdom. In addition to Buddhas, see Boddhisattvas and colorful mandalas, and a video of Tibetan monks making a sand mandala. There are also sections on Otherworldly Beings, Buddhist Teachers, Animals, Manuscripts, Ritual Objects, and Containers. [DS]
http://www.sfmoma.org/espace/espace_overview.html
San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) is a place that remains one of the premier museums in the United States for presenting new and cutting-edge work from a variety of artistic traditions and forms of expression. This idea extends into the museum's online presence, and particularly on their fine E.space site. The site provides direct access to various commissioned artworks, permanent collection Web objects, and featured sites. The rather intriguing commissioned Web projects are designed to "explore the new forms of storytelling in a space delineated by the personal computer screen, as well as the hypermedia structure". Some of the projects available here include "Relevatory Landscapes" and "CrossFade". The newest addition to the site is "New Work" by Yael Kanarek and Lynn Hershman, which addresses the age-old conventions involved with traditional museum display and exhibition. [KMG]
Since the rise of community activism in large urban areas during the 20th century, a number of large scale organizations have sought to create an umbrella network to support these various advocacy and outreach efforts. One such organization is the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) which is inspired by the struggle for social justice and creating stronger communities. On the group's website, visitors interested in these ideas (either from a pragmatic or academic standpoint) can learn about ACORN's current work and accomplishments, along with reading a detailed history of the organization written by Professor Dan Russell of Springfield College. Some visitors may also want to learn about ACORN's International programs, which operate in Peru, the Dominican Republic, Canada, and Mexico. Visitors will also want to take a look at the group's free newsletter and the newsletter archives, which date back to 2003. [KMG]
http://www.gwhealthpolicy.org/chsrp/
Founded in 1990, the George Washington University Center for Health Services and Policy is "dedicated to providing policymakers, public health officials, health care administrators, and advocates with the information and ideas they need to improve access to quality, affordable health care." With a staff of several dozen, the Center's work falls into a number of topical areas, such as welfare reform, HIV/AIDS, behavioral health policy, and maternal and child health. One of the first stops for new visitors should be the "Publications" section, which contains the organization's latest work (and archived materials) emanating from different research areas. The site also contains a helpful listing of relevant links and the opportunity to join the Center's managed behavioral healthcare electronic mailing list. [KMG]
For centuries, humans have been fascinated with natural history collections, and their rise in number during the Enlightenment corresponded with a strong desire to classify and know more about the natural world in a rigorous and scientific fashion. Founded in 1985, The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) is a multidisciplinary organization comprised of various individuals interested in the development and preservation of such collections. On the Society site, visitors can learn about its annual conference, awards, and recommendations for best practices in various aspects of natural history collection preservation and maintenance. Visitors will also want to peruse the group's newsletters and news announcements as well. The site is rounded out with information about the Society's governance and also membership applications. [KMG]
With more and more people (including children) suffering from the potentially debilitating effects of allergies, Scout Report readers will want to take note of this rather well-designed independent site based in the UK and designed to function as a information and support site for allergy sufferers and their families. New visitors to the site will want to take note of the free monthly newsletter "InTouch", which provides the latest information on allergy, eczema and asthma news. Visitors can also share their stories about coping with allergy, along with reading stories from other contributors to the site. The "Features" area is quite useful as it features articles written by doctors and journalists on such timely topics as "Babies and Food Allergy" and "Food Allergy and Intolerance". Finally, the site also contains answers to some commonly asked questions, such as "What is an allergy?" and "Who can get allergies?". [KMG]
